5 Cybersecurity Predictions for 2020

5 Cybersecurity Predictions for 2020

Welcome to 2020! As we kick off a whole new decade, the cybersecurity industry is — as always — in a state of flux, adapting to address the latest attack strategies while trying to anticipate future threats. We plan to start the new year by tackling a few cybersecurity predictions: dangers that organizations and individuals should watch out for in the year ahead.

But at the same time. hackers and scammers appear primed to unleash cutting-edge attacks in the years to come. This threatens to give “the Roaring ‘20s” a whole new meaning.

Here, we’ll make a few cybersecurity predictions about threats that could grow in 2020:

Deepfakes Will Abound

Deepfakes, in which one person’s likeness is skillfully superimposed onto another in images or videos, are a powerful way of falsifying information. Facebook recently banned deepfakes as a protective measure ahead of the 2020 elections, as this technology could significantly mislead voters about candidates and already-elected public officials. Unfortunately, Facebook’s protections are being criticized for their narrowness, however. So you will want to remain increasingly vigilant in how they consume news and deciding what a “trusted source” is.

Artificial Intelligence & Automated Hacking Will Take Off

We’ve talked a great deal about artificial intelligence’s (AI) potential for combating cybersecurity threats – from the hype to the reality. However, security teams aren’t the only ones putting AI to use. Hackers are weaponizing the same technologies in new, more intelligent attacks. And automated hacking is making cybercriminals better at their jobs, helping them gleam more data from their attacks and allowing script to “hack by itself.”

Attack Surface Will Continue to Swell

The increasing use of “big data” isn’t slowing down – on Wall Street, in Washington and everywhere in between. As organizations find themselves wielding larger, more complex data systems, involving internal and cloud-based networks alike, data will become increasingly vulnerable … not to mention more sought-after given its growing value. This could lead to a snowballing effect where breaches become not just more numerous, but grow in scale, in 2020 and much farther down the road.

Smart Devices, Still Vulnerable, Will Grow Nonetheless

We talked last year about vulnerabilities found in millions of “Internet of Things” (IoT) devices – so-called “smart” appliances and other gadgets that are able to connect with networks around them. That’s not going anywhere. Despite the fact that numerous known security weaknesses remain unresolved, and that more will surely be discovered, iPropertyManagement expects the number of IoT devices in use to grow yet again in 2020, to 30.73 billion from 26.66 billion last year.

Ransomware Grows

New, more effective types of ransomware are entering the scene. And they’re aimed at a more diverse set of targets … with more diverse demands than the money heists of yore. Experts unsurprisingly expect ransom costs to soar over the coming year. Being vigilant about schemes such as phishing will help reduce your risk of falling prey to ransomware.

Is your organization prepared to take on the onslaught of cybersecurity threats in 2020 and beyond? Don’t guess – be sure. Contact Lunarline today to learn how we can keep you secure.